A quick overview of Freshdesk
Before we jump into the Freshdesk alternatives on the market, first learn more about what Freshdesk has to offer its customers.
What is Freshdesk used for?
As a cloud-based customer support software, Freshdesk brings a variety of features to customer service teams, plus it’s easy to use and was built to boost productivity. Multiple support channels are available, from live chat, phone, email, and social media, which can help customers in the communication method they prefer.
With agents feeling more productive than ever and quick response times to customers, Freshdesk makes it easy for teams to stay on top of all tickets, work collaboratively with others, and resolve issues faster than ever.
Freshdesk features
There are many standout Freshdesk features that users will enjoy. Some include:
- Ticketing system
- Shared ownership of tickets
- Streamlined dashboards
- Time-triggered automations
- Curated reports and customer satisfaction ratings
Limitations of Freshdesk
No matter how perfect you think software may be, there will always be some limitations and drawbacks. When we did our own testing, we ran into some challenges with Freshdesk.
For instance, there are limited ways users can apply service level agreements (SLAs) in Freshdesk. For customer support teams who want to set up different SLA policies for their various tiers of service, it’s good to know that you can only assign one SLA policy to each product.
Additionally, we found Freshdesk has limited automations compared to other tools on the market. For example, it doesn’t give users an option to use tags in time-triggered automations. And finally, the Salesforce integration is somewhat limited, and it can only sync to customers if a contact has already been set up in Salesforce.
8 Freshdesk alternatives to consider in 2022
Before diving in, we’ll share how we came up with these Freshdesk alternatives, including:
- Feature parity: Platforms that offer the core features you’ll also find when using Freshdesk.
- Customer reviews: Pulling the best alternatives from sources like G2.
- Customer ratings: Pulled star ratings from G2.
- Commonly compared software: Using data from TestBox, we also included the products that Freshdesk is most commonly compared with.
Let’s dive in!
Zendesk
Zendesk is the platform users are looking for when they want their agents to give the best possible support across all types of channels. It was built to cater to every unique need of the customer, while also being a unified workspace for teams to provide a personalized customer experience -- every time. No matter the size of your team, Zendesk is easy to use and can scale along with your organization.
👉 Already using Zendesk? Check out these Zendesk alternatives.
Key features
Zendesk offers a long list of features, including:
- Integrated ticketing system that is a central hub for customer questions, concerns, and requests
- An intelligent knowledge base for enhanced self-service, created to empower agents
- 24/7 support with automation and AI for a personal touch with customers
- Data and analytics to measure how teams provide an exceptional customer experience and where they can improve
- The ability to build custom experiences on your mobile, web, or social apps
Because no software is perfect, we've also documented our top challenges with Zendesk.
Key integrations
Zendesk natively integrates with the tools and apps you already love using, including:
- Zoom
- Microsoft Teams
- Intercom
- Monday.com
- Survey Monkey
Pricing
A free trial of Zendesk is available upon signing up. Pricing starts at $19/per user billed annually and can go up to $99/per user billed annually.
G2 Rating
⭐ 4.3/5 Based on 4,000+ reviews on G2.
👉 Test drive Zendesk in TestBox and compare it with the leading help desk software. No demos, no pitch decks. Evaluate software on your terms.
HubSpot Service Hub
These days, customers expect resolutions in minutes and are personalized to their unique needs. HubSpot Service Hub makes this possible as it brings all customer service data and channels together and helps scale your support through automation and self-service. HubSpot Service Hub makes it possible for customer service teams to customize the support given to each customer to ensure retention for the long haul.
Key features
Regardless of how your team chooses to use HubSpot Service Hub, a long list of innovative features awaits, including:
- Knowledge base
- Social media management
- Email tracking
- Built-in analytics, reports, and dashboards
- Live chat
But, it’s not always sunshine and rainbows. Learn our top challenges with HubSpot Service Hub.
Key integrations
The HubSpot Marketplace is full of integrations that effortlessly become streamlined with your other favorite apps and tools in your tech stack. Some include:
- Zoom
- Asana
- Jira
- Hootsuite
- Pandadoc
Need more information before choosing HubSpot Service Hub? Learn about our top challenges with HubSpot Service Hub.
Pricing
HubSpot Service Hub prices start at $25/agent per month.
G2 Rating
⭐ 4.4/5 Based on 1,100+ reviews on G2.
👉 Test drive HubSpot Service Hub in TestBox and compare it with the leading help desk software. No demos, no pitch decks. Evaluate software on your terms.
Zoho Desk
If you’re looking to manage customer communication over the phone, email, live chat, SMS text, and social media, Zoho Desk makes it all possible! Users can seamlessly assign calls to agents based on their team or department, automatically route customer calls to the best agents for that specific request or problem, and allow users to maintain consistency of service to build meaningful relationships with their customers.
Key features
Zoho Desk offers users many features that come in handy everyday, including:
- Multi-channel ticket management
- Simple and straight-forward email communication
- Customizable notification rules
- Embedded customer self-service capabilities
- Reports and dashboards
Key integrations
Zoho Desk can seamlessly integrate with some of your favorite apps and tools, including:
- Salesforce
- Trello
- Asana
- Marketplace
- Screen Magic
Plus, Zoho Desk effortlessly pairs with other Zoho apps, like Zoho CRM, Bug Tracker, and Sales IQ.
Pricing
Pricing starts at $14/agent/month billed annually and can go up to $40/agent/month billed annually.
G2 Rating
⭐ 4.4/5 Based on 3,700+ reviews on G2.
👉 Test drive Zoho Desk in TestBox and compare it with the leading help desk software. No demos, no pitch decks. Evaluate software on your terms.
Front
Front is a customer communication hub aimed at making information accessible and collaboration a breeze as your team focuses on building positive customer relationships. Whether you have a team of five or 5,000, Front makes it easy to improve team performance and put customers at the center of your support org.
Key features
Those using Front have numerous features they can take advantage, including:
- Customized workflows
- Real-time collaboration
- Customer experience analytics
- Enterprise-grade compliance, industry-standard encryption, and governance frameworks
Key integrations
While Front works great independently, it’s even better when paired with some of your other favorite tools. Some integrations include:
- Drift
- Asana
- GitHub
- ClickUp
- Scribe
- Guru
Pricing
Pricing for Front starts at $19/month/user and can go up to $99/month/user.
G2 Rating
⭐ 4.7/5 Based on 1,300+ reviews on G2.
HappyFox
When you need a simple, easy, and fast live chat software solution, it’s in your best interest to consider HappyFox. It helps teams of all shapes and sizes deliver personalized customer service like never before. Conversations can take place anywhere, anytime, and anyplace.
Key features
In addition to a simple and fast live chat, HappyFox serves up great features that will improve your support metrics, including:
- Canned responses
- Dashboards with analytics and reporting
- Widget customizations
- Intuitive Agent UI
- Live Chat work hours
Key integrations
HappyFox has a ton of useful integrations available to its users. Some are:
- Salesforce
- Okta
- GitLab
- Shopify
- Mailchimp
Pricing
Pricing for HappyFox starts at $29/month/user and can go up to $299/month/user.
G2 Rating
⭐ 4.5/5 Based on 120+ reviews on G2.
ProProfs
Users looking for live chat software to assist in getting in touch with daily visitors in real-time without any hassle should consider ProProfs. This tool is best for small businesses looking to provide world-class support to their customers. With a simple interface and various features, ProProfs is built for companies looking to enhance their customer experience.
Key features
ProProfs boasts features customer service teams need to do their job right. Some include:
- Collaboration with shared inboxes
- Automation for increased productivity
- Customer service metrics and reports
- Customizable workflows to suit how every team works
Key integrations
ProProfs offers integrations with Salesforce and Microsoft Dynamics CRM.
Pricing
Pricing for ProProfs starts at $15/month/user and can go up to $25/month/user.
G2 Rating
⭐ 4.5/5 Based on 30+ reviews on G2.
Intercom
Intercom is a customer communications platform that unifies every aspect of the customer journey, from conversion to engagement all the way to support. It was created as a hub for sales, marketing, and support to collaborate better. As a result, cross-functional teams can work together to convert more customers, engage at every touchpoint, and support clients at scale.
Key features
Intercom brings a long list of features to your customer support team. Some include:
- Real-time customer chat
- Custom bots
- Targeted messaging
- A variety of reporting tools
- Contextual customer surveys
Key integrations
Intercom offers APIs that make it easy to integrate with the core tools already in your tech stack. You can also explore Intercom integrations through their app store, including:
- Google Analytics
- Salesforce
- Zapier
- Jira Cloud
- Calendly
Pricing
Intercom calculates its pricing by:
- Seats, giving users access to different tools in Intercom
- People reached, the number of unique people reached each month using outbound messaging
Intercom’s starting price is roughly $67/agent/month.
G2 Rating
⭐ 4.4/5 Based on 2,200+ reviews on G2.
👉 Test drive Intercom in TestBox and compare it with the leading help desk software. No demos, no pitch decks. Evaluate software on your terms.
Help Scout
Help Scout allows organizations to be available everywhere their customers need help. It provides teams of all sizes the collaboration, organization, and automation tools needed to move faster by keeping things simple and focusing on delighting customers.
👉 Already using Help Scout? Check out these Help Scout alternatives.
Key features
Help Scout boasts a long list of really exciting and useful features. Some your team may enjoy are:
- Conversations over tickets
- Private notes
- Saved replies
- Customer self-service knowledge base
Craving more Help Scout details? Discover our three biggest challenges with Help Scout.
Key integrations
Help Scout perfectly pairs with the tools your team already knows and loves. Some integrations include:
- Jira
- Salesforce
- Shopify
- Mailchimp
- Zapier
Pricing
Help Scout pricing starts at $20/use per month
👉 See Freshdesk vs Help Scout pricing.
G2 Rating
⭐ 4.4/5 Based on 350+ reviews on G2.
👉 Test drive Help Scout in TestBox and compare it with the leading help desk software. No demos, no pitch decks. Evaluate software on your terms.
Wrapping Up
There are many options for customer service software on the market, so it’s always a good idea to learn more about what else is out there for you to choose from! While it may not be easy to know what makes the most sense for your team and their needs, TestBox is here to help you compare, contrast, and learn all the details.